There was an ordinary man, just like you and I, who wanted to get rich, to live a happy life, and to get all the luxuries and pleasures of this world.
He lived a very busy life. He would have breakfast very early in the day, and travel a long way to work, where he was a financial advisor, constantly trying to solve the problems of his clients coming to him with their woes. He would have a brief lunch at midday and then dive back into work during the afternoon. At the end of the day he would come home to his family, totally exhausted and just wanting to relax and do his own thing for a short time.
He had three young children and a lovely wife, but was finding it increasingly difficult to spend time with them, and often brushed their needs aside in place of what he felt was more important. After some time he began to indulge in things that he knew were wrong. He would stay up late at night watching movies, eating unhealthy food and he started drinking alcohol.
Finally he began to question himself, and thought "what miserable life I am living". He was earning a lot of money, he was doing what he wanted, but ended up being very unhappy.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation like this? Perhaps it's not as dramatic as the story.

But don't most of us, especially us young people, have visions of earning lots of money, buying lots of things, watching movies, playing games? We want pleasure, entertainment, excitement etc. I know what it's like to want live to please myself.

But stop and remember...

He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase Ecclesiastes 5:10

and

For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. James 4:14

The "things" that we want so much only last for a very short time don't they?

And you see, the things of this world are really very fragile, a fire can sweep through your house and destroy everything you own.

Each one of us have certain desires built into us. Even if we don't admit it, deep down we all long for security, love, peace and happiness. We all want to have real joy in life. These desires are naturally built into us, but the problem is that we look for them in all the wrong places and we do the wrong things to try and get them.

Listen to what the Bible says.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17

Mmm.... okay, so everything good comes from God. Is happiness, peace, security and fulfilment in life good? Yes, Of course they are! So then where do these things come from? The Bible says that every good gift comes from God, so these things must also come from God.

If you built a car, would you know exactly what that car needed? Yes of course you would! You would know the right fuel, coolant fluid, oil and everything else that car needs to run efficiently. In Genesis 1 we read:

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Genesis 1:27